Cruise line loyalty programs drive repeat business and even a tiny change can outrage passengers. Royal Caribbean, for example, has to limit access to its Crown Lounges on select sailings when too many top-tier customers are onboard.
In most cases, you can't expand the lounge so on a President's Cruise, a special casino cruise, or a Transatlantic sailing, the cruise line has to limit access. That change only happens rarely and while people don't like not getting a perk they have earned, most are understanding.
Related: Why Carnival, Royal Caribbean don't offer key entertainment option
Permanent changes, however, can lead to passengers losing cherished benefits even if they gain others. Celebrity Cruises, a Royal Caribbean-owned brand, still shows on its website that certain higher levels of its casino loyalty program get access to its suite lounge. The problem is they don't and haven't for many years, but people who earn those levels and see the perk on the list are quite reasonably upset.
While Royal Caribbean has hinted at changes to its Crown & Anchor loyalty program, Carnival has shared that it's currently reevaluating its own. That means changes are coming, but before they do, the cruise line's brand ambassador, John Heald, both slapped back at some of his Facebook followers, and promised he would address their concerns.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival made a loyalty pin change
Every cruise line's loyalty program has different tiers. Carnival's VIFP loyalty program starts at Blue on your first sailing and Red after that. At Gold passengers get a free bottle of water in their cabin.
You move up in tiers by sailing with points being awarded for nights cruised. Unlike Royal Caribbean's program, which offers more points for solo cruisers and suite passengers, Carnival's is one point per night no matter what.
The higher levels of the VIFP program, Gold and Platinum, come with a perk that many passengers like, a custom pin on each cruise. Those pins are "redeemable at the Photo Gallery no later than two days before the end of the cruise," Carnival shares on its website.
That's where some passengers took issue with the cruise line and Heald explained the policy.
"Before I open my eye pad on the plane to watch some downloaded episodes of 'Little House on Cleveland Prairie' and nibble on my $9 airport sandwich which has some pink meat in it I would like to say a little something to our fabulous Diamond and Platinum guests," he wrote. "The reason we ask Diamond and Platinum guests to collect their gift and pin from the Pixels gallery is because we have, in the past, found that people sometimes leave the pin and gift in the cabin. Plus it is what we have done since Covid."
Heald, it should be noted, never directly mentions brand names and is playful when he talks about what hotel he's staying in or, in this case, his tablet. He did push back on one charge.
"It is not a 'slap in the face for your loyal guests' to have to collect them rather than have them delivered. I read these comments now and then and the hostility behind the words posted is quite astonishing," he added.
Heald will ask the "beards"
The brand ambassador jointly calls Carnival's executives the "beards." It's meant as a term of endearment as the brand is led by its unbearded President Christine Duffy. Heald did promise to share the passenger feedback with his bosses, but stopped short of promising a change.
"Let’s see what we do when we announce the new loyalty program by the end of this year and I will ask if we can return to delivering anything we offer. No promises but I will try," he posted.
Nearly 2,000 people commented on Heald's post. Most were supportive.
"It’s all about perspective. When my sister in law got her status, I went with her and took pictures of her picking up her gift. We had fun with it. Just have fun, people. It is the fun ship," Melissa Dodd wrote.
Beth McDonald had a similary practical take on having to pick up the pin.
"I have no problem going to Pixels and getting my pin and gift. You probably walk by there several times a day. I love collecting my pins! I have found many uses for the gifts I get," she wrote.
Some of Heald's followers understand both points of view.
"It's not a big deal to pick these things up. It was just more special to walk into your cabin and see them waiting for you," posted Florence Thomsen Hobson.
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"I can’t lie, I liked having it delivered but I also keep every pin and gift. So, I understand why the change was made, for Covid protocols and for eliminating waste. Besides, having to go get it gives me an excuse to leave the casino," added Laura K. Holiday.
